Slack adjuster



w. 'H. SAUVAGE. SLACK ADJUSTER. APPLICAHON FILED FEB. 6, I920.

Patented May 2,1922.

M M. M

2 SHEHS-SHEETL w. H. S AUVAGE. SLACK ADJUSTER.

ATION HLED FEB- 6,

Patented May 2, 1922. 1 2 SHEETS-SHEEY 2.

OFIQE WILLIAM H. SAUVAGE, 0F FLUSHING, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE ASSIGN- MENTS, TO GOULD COUPLER COMPANY, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

SLACK ADJUSTER.

Application filed February '6, 1920. Serial No. 356,751.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, VILLIAM H. SAUVAGE,

a citizen of the United States, residing at Flushing, Long Island, in the county of Queens and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Slack Adjusters, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in railway slack adjusters and more particularly to what is known as take-up holding means adapted to operateon release of the brakes whereby the excess slack is taken up in the brake rigging.

7 One ofthe objects of the present invention is to provide a simple and practical takeup and holdingmeans having relatively few parts which may be inexpensively manufactu'red and assembled.

A second object is to provide a take-up and holding means of the above general character and applicable to practically any form of slack adjuster mechanism involving two relatively movable parts adapted to be' held in their new relation. I

A further object is to provide take-up and holding means which may be easily released 'to permit a readjustment of the brake rigging as is necessary when applying new brake shoes or parts to'the brake rigging. A further object is to provide 'afstrong and substantial structure which will not be affected by the atmospheric conditions and of which there is little or no danger of the parts rusting into a set position thereby to interfere with the proper manipulation or operation of. the device.

With these and otherobjects which will' appear obvious from the following description, attention isdirected to the annexed sheets of drawings forming part of this specification wherein correspondingand reference characters denote similar parts.

Inthes e drawings igure 1 isxan .elevational view showing one application of the take-up mechanism to one typeof: slack adjuster. V I v 7 p Figure2 is an end view, and, I Figure 3 is a sectional plan view, Referring now. to figures 1 and: 2, 5 denotes the-live lever of the truck brake rigging which is. adapted to be secured to the I brake beam by means of strut 6. The lower end of the live lever is pivotally connected Specificationof Letters Patent.

'alle'l to the rod 8. A: second set of as 'maygbe necessary. The operatio Patented May 2, 192-2.

at 7 to one end 8 of a telescopic push rod. This rod telescopes with a tubular member 10, rigure 3, the opposite end of which is adapted to be connected with the lower end of the dead lever not shown.

, Pivotally connected with the strut 6 by a lost motion connection 11 is an adjusting" rod 12 which also passes downwardly through a portion of or lugs on the telescopic member 10. By reference to Figure be moved in a relatively left hand direction."

These dogs 14; are preferably held in canted relation by means of a coil spring 16 acting between one of the dogs 14. and the adjacent endwall '17 of the housing 13.

At one side of the housing 13 are two lugs 18 adapted to 'supportthe adjusting rod 12 and guide the same in its relative movement in a direction substantially ar- 0 s (only one however is indicated at 20) is fulcrumed at 21 and isprovided with a slightly larger opening 22 adapted to permit free, passage of the rod 8 in either direction. There is, also, provided an additional hole, 23 adapted to embrace and coact with the adjusting rod 12 in the manner. The dog or dogs 20 is also held. in inclined or canted position by means of a coiled spring 24 acting between the dog 20 and the stop 25. By moving the extending end of the dog 20 relatively towards the right all of the dog's 14' as well as the dog 20 will be moved to a parallel position the idog 14 at the right restingagainst a stop-25 inwhich position all'the dogs 14 and 20 lie normal to the rods 8 and 12 therebypermitting a free movement of either rod in either direction 7 H n of this device .is substantially as followsjz When the brakes are applied the upper end of 'the live lever moves relatively towards the right to apply the brakes carried by the strut "6. The reaction takes place through the holding rods 8 and 12 which are prevented from relative telescopic movement toward the left by reason of the dogs lat and 20. If excess travel takes place the adjusting rod 12 is moved relatively towards the right and slides through the opening 23in the dog an amount corresponding exactly to theexcess travel.

Then the pressures are released, however, this adjusting rod 12 is held against movement towards the left by reason of the canting engagement of the edges of the hole 23 with the rod. The pivot 11 then becomes a fulcrum point during the return of the live lever 5 to full release position thereby to move the rod 8 relatively outward or towards the right which movement is permitted of the construction of the dogs. The full return of the live lever will insure the outward movement of the rod 8 an amount exactly corresponding to the outward movement of the rod 12 during the application of the brakes thus taking up practically all of the slack at a single operation. 1

From the above it will be seen that the present structure does away with any frictional devices which might tend to rust and i set thereby preventing a proper operation of the brakes. The structure is simple, practicable and durable involving few parts inexpensive to manufacture, and which may be assembled and readjusted as may be be necessary on applying new brake shoes.

It is believed that the, above will so fully reveal the gist of the present invention that others can by applying, current knowledge readily adapt the same to various uses and modifications, and the appended claims are intended to cover all of the generic and specific features thereof thatmay be comprehended within the range of equivalency. What I claim is v 1. In a slack adjuster, in combination a two-part telescopic push rod, a housing formed on one of said parts, a plurality of dogs therein adapted tocoact with the other of said parts and an adjusting rod, one of said dogs being provided with two openings through which the adjusting rod and one part of the push rod are adaptedto pass.

2.'In a slack adjuster, in combination, a

7 two part telescopic push rod including a rod and a tubular member, a housing formed on' thetubular member, a plurality of dogs carried thereby adapted to coact with the rod, an adjusting .rod supported parallel to said first mentioned rod, and meansin the housing for supporting said adjusting rod.

. 3I In a slack adjuster, in combination, a two part telescopicfpush rod including a rod and a tubular membena housing formed on the tubular member,a pluralityof dogs carried therebyadapted to coact with the rod, an adjusting rod parallel to said first mentioned rod and means on the housing canted relation.

for supporting said adjusting rod, one of said dogs coacting with both the push rod and the adjusting rod.

45. In a slack adjuster, in combination, a two part telescopic push rod including a rod and a tubular member, a housing formed on the tubular member, a plurality of dogs carried thereby adapted to coact with the rod,

an adjusting rod parallel to said first-mentioned rod and means on the housing for supporting said adjusting 'rod, one of said dogs coacting with both the push rod and within said housing coacting with said rodand an adjusting rod associated therewith with which the other set of dogs coact;

6. In a slack adjuster, in combination, a two part telescopic push rod including a rod and a tubular member connected therewith,

v a housing associated with the tubularmemher having two fulcrums, two sets of dogs within said housing one of which coacts with said rod, an adjusting rod associated" therewith with which the other'set of dogs 7 coact, and springs normally holding said dogs ,in canted position.

7. In a slack adjuster, in combination, a

two part telescopic push rod including a rod and a tubular member connected therewith,

a housing associated with the tubular memher hav ng two fulcrum's, two sets of dogs withinsaid housingcoacting with said rod,

and an adjusting rod associated therewith with which one set of dogs only coact, and a spring associated with each set of dogs adapted to hold thesame in canted position. 7 8. In a slack adjuster, in combination, a two parttelescopic push rod including'a rod and a tubular member connected therewith, a housing associated with the tubular memher having two fulcrums, two sets of dogs within said housing one of which coacts wlth sa1d rod, and the other, with an adustlng rod associated therewith, a spring on said adjusting rod coacting with one dog. and a sprlng on the push rodcoacting with the other dog whereby said dogs are held in 1 9. In aslack adjuster combination", 'fa

two part telescopic push rodincludingarod and a tubularmemberc'onnected therewith,

a housing associated withthe tubular memher having two fulcrums, two dogs within said housing coacting with saidrrod, and an adjusting. rod, associated" therewith with which the other dog coactsi, a springon said adjusting rod coacting with one dog and a spring on the push rod coasting with the other dog whereby said dogs are held in canted relation, and means whereby move ment of one dog will move the other dog in to a position at right angles to the rods against the compression of said springs.

10. In a slack adjuster, in combination, a telescopic push rod comprising a tubular member and a rod telescoping therewith, a housing formed on said tubular member, perforated lugs on said housing, an adjusting rod passing through said lugs and lying substantially parallel to said first mentioned rod, and a plurality of dogswithin said housing coacting with said first mentioned rod, one of said dogs engaging also the adjusting rod, and means for holding said dogs in inclined position.

11. In a slack adjuster, in combination, a telescopic push rod comprising a tubular member and a rod telescoping therewith, a houslng formed on said tubular member,

vperforated lugs on said housing, an adjusting rod passing through said lugs and lying substantially parallel tosaid first mentioned rod, a plurality of dogs within said housing coacting with said first mentioned rod, one of said dogs engaging also the adjusting rod, and means for holding said dogs in'inclined position, said dogs being so positioned and arranged that a movement of the dog engaging both rods to a position at right angles to the rods will move the other dog to a position parallel thereto.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature in the presence oftwo Witnesses.

WILLIAM H. SAUVAGEQ Witnesses:

DONALD C. DAVIS, Ammo E. On. 

